Pressure-regulator.



F. A. SIMONDS.

PRESSURE REGULATOR.

APPLICATION I'ILBD JUNE'8,.1907.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

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UNITED STATES PATEN QFFIQ Ti FRANK ARTHUR SIMONDS, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO HARRY L. GREGORY AND ONE-FOURTH TO WILLIAM H. CANFIELD, OF GRAND RAPIDS,

MICHIGAN.

PRESSURE -RE GULATOR.

Patented Nov. 8, 1908.

Application filed June 8, 1907. Serial No. 377,952.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK A. SIMONDs, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pressure-Regulators; and I do hereby declare *the following to be a full, clear, and exact description'of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in pressure regulators, and more particularly to devices for regulating the pressure of gas in the pipes in buildings where gas is used, and its object is to provide a reliable and practical device for the purpose; to simplify the construction; and to provide the same with various new and useful features, substantially as hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1. is a vertical section of a device embodying my invention, shown on the line 11 of Fig. 3; Fig. 2. is the same taken at right angles to Fig. 1. and shown on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3. is an elevation of my device seen from the left of Fig. 1 Fig. 4. is a horizontal section of the same on the line 44 of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 5. an enlarged detail of the valve, shown in side elevation; and, Fig. 6. a transverse section of the same on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Like numbers refer to like parts in all of the figures. 1

1 represents the high pressure or receiving chamber to which any convenient service pipe may be attached. Said chamber is closed at its inner end and provided with parallel upper and lower sides having openings 2 and 3 in the axis of the device. Surrounding the inner end of this receiving cham ber is a low pressure chamber 4 to receive the gas from the chamber 1.

5 is an opening communicating with the ipes in which the pressure is to be regulated. Outside of the low pressure chamber 4 is an annular reservoir 6 to receive the fluid driven up through the passage 12 by the pressure of gas. ThlS passage 12 connects thereservoir 6 with a float chamber 1 l in which is a float 8 having a stem 9 extending loosely through an opening 10 in the top of the chamber 11.

The gas in the low pressure chamber 4 passes through the restricted opening 10 and presses upon the contents of the chamber 11 forcing the same upward through the passage 12 into the reservoir 6. This restricted passage prevents any pulsation of the pressure in the float chamber.

13 is a pet cock to draw off the fluid contents of the chamber 11 and reservoir 6.

14 is a removable plug to close an opening for inserting the valve 7.

15 is a removable plug in the top of the reservoir 6 whereby by removing this plug the device may be charged with a suitable fluid. In the axis of this plug is a loosely fitting and vertically movable valve stem 17, having thereon a valve 16 to close the opening in the plug and operated by a float 18 attached to the stem. Said opening serves as an air vent when the valve 16 is down to permit air to escape from the reservoir 6 and thus permit the fluid to rise therein. Should the fluid by any chance be subjected to excess of pressure and too much of it driven up into the reservoir 6, the float 18 will rise and the valve will close the opening and prevent the escape of the fluid. The pressure regulating valve 7 is attached to the stem 9 and is vertically moved by the float 8, whereby the openings 2 and 3 are more or less opened and closed as the float rises and falls, the valve 7 is balanced to avoid interference with the movement of the float. This valve consists of a hollow cylindrical body having a head 19 at its upper end and another head 20 near the middle and an annular member 21 at its lower end. These heads 19 and 20 when the valve descends will wholly close the openings 2 and 3, and the valve is provided with radial openings or ports 22 through which the gas escapes from the receiving chamber 1 into the low pressure chamber 4 in greater or less quantity as the valve is more or less raised by the float 8.

In operation the device is first charged with a suitable fluid (preferably oil), on which the float 8 is sustained. The greater the quantity and weight of fluid, the greater will be the pressure of gas required to close the valve. The gas escaping through the valve 7 into the low pressure chamber 4 will pass downward through the opening 10 around the stem 9 and thus bring pressure to bear upon the fluid in the chamber 11, which pressure will force a portion of the fluid upward through the passage 12 into the resetvoir 6 and thus lower the support for the float8 and lower the valve. This movement of the valve reduces the openings betweenthe heads 19 and 20 and the respective upper'and lower walls of the receiving chambenand if a; suflicient quantity of the fluid is driven out of the-chamber 11 by increase of pressure, the valve will descend to bring the said' heads within the lane of the said walls, and thus close the va ve entirely.

In the event that the ressure falls in the chamber 4:, a portion 0 the fluid that hasbeen forced up into the reservoir- 6 will de scend through the passage 12 and thusraise the float and the valve 7 thereby increasing the opening through which the gas may escape from the receiving chamber 1 to=the low pressure'chamber 4 and pipes communicating therewith. The pressure is thus automatically adjusted to a predetermined amount depending on the uantity and weight of the fluidwith which t e deviceis charged.

It will be noted that the reservoir'6" has an extended horizontal area, due to its annular form, whereby the variation in the level of the fluid therein is very slight, thuspre-venting any material variation of resistance to pressure, whereby the device is made very sensitive to: any changes of pressure therein and quick adjustment ot the valve secured.

It will also be observed that the device is so constructed as to'present a compact and simple structure, the'various chambers and passages of which may be readily cast in one integral piece, thus also materially reducing cost of manufacture.

I claimis? H k I 1. In a pressure regulator, a high pressure chamber, a low pressure chamber surround- 40 ing the same,an annular fluid reservoir sur= rounding the said chambers, a float chamber below the low pressure chamber, the said chambers and reservoir being cast integral and with a passage connecting the float chamber and'the reservoir, and a passage connecting the float chamber and the low pressure chamber.

2. A ressure" regulator, comprising a valve5aflbat connected to the valve, a chamber containing the float, a separate reservoir communicating with the chamber, an air valve-in the'top of the reservoir, and a second float in the reservoir and connected to the air valve'to operatethe same.

3. In a pressure regulator, a high pressure chamber, a low pressure chamber, abalanced valve between said chambers, a float cha1nber communicating: with the low pressure chamber, a float in the float chamber and connected to the valve, a: reservoir located above the level of the float chamber and communicating therewith, a removable plug in the top of the reservoir and having a vertical openin therethrough, astem loosely and vertically movable in said opening, a

-valve on said stem to close said opening, and

a floaton said stem to raisethe same.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses. FRANK ARTHUR SIMONDS. Witnesses:

PALMER A. JONES, LUTHER V. MOULTON. 

